December 13, 1999

The inaugural Pillage & Plunder Cruise set sail from Port Manatee, Florida, on Thursday, December 9, 1999, for a four-day whirlwind of porn-related events. Benefiting Pride Tampa Bay, the trip brought together more than 600 gay cruisers from 26 states and such porn superstars as Cole Tucker, Ray Harley, Steve Rambo, Tuck Johnson and many others, some of whom filmed the upcoming Catalina release Voyager onboard.

On Friday, the Regal Empress ship docked in Key West, Florida, for a full day of events, including a happy hour at the Bourbon Street Pub hosted by porn director Chi Chi LaRue. Newcomers Gordon Gage and Caesar performed alongside such porn veterans as Mark Mason, Tucker and Rambo. There were also video giveaways and lap-dancing rooms where patrons making a contribution to Pride Tampa Bay could enjoy a private moment with their favorite porn star. At the Meet the Stars Reception at the Holiday Inn La Concha, LaRue and her porn posse signed autographs and mingled with fans and locals while taking in amazing views of Key West from the rooftop lounge. Later, Pornapalooza by the Sea, a dance party with DJ Abel at the turntables, was held at Conch Republic Seafood Company. This was followed by the Lock-Down Party, a clothing-optional event held at One Saloon, where Catalina’s Tom Walker spun for a hot and horny crowd.

Director Josh Eliot filmed scenes for Voyager on the upper level of the ship on Saturday as curious passengers looked on. Although certain sequences were shot on closed sets, passersby were treated to the sight of new Latin sensation Enrico Vega getting busy with Mike Radcliffe. Other scenes featured Johnson topping Rambo and Caesar plowing Harley.

All of which led up to Saturday night’s main event, a no-holds-barred live sex show featuring Matthew Anders and boyfriend Chris Michaels, Paul Morgan (delivering one of his world-renowned money shots), Johnson, Tucker, Radcliffe and Gage, who performed for an appreciative standing-room-only crowd. Following the anything-goes stage show, the stars signed autographs and DJ Rick Mitchell spun the happy cruisers into the wee hours.

Other highlights of the trip included a silent auction—in which passengers bid for dinner with their favorite Catalina star—and performances by singer Mona Q and drag stars Jackie Beat, Honey West and Joey Brooks. There was also an underwear party and a toga party onboard, plus a model search sponsored by Allboy magazine, which was won by Illinois native Gordon Gage.

“We were ecstatic at the response to our first cruise,” said Pride Tampa Bay president Donald Bentz. “Everyone had a great time, and the porn stars were all very cooperative and did a fantastic job.”

December 11, 1999

Saturday, December 11, 1999The setting couldn’t be more perfect—clear blue skies, fresh sea air, the aqua-green waters of the Caribbean and a ship full of porn stars. It’s all aboard for the inaugural Pillage & Plunder Cruise to benefit Pride Tampa Bay, and more than 650 gay cruisers from 25 states are spending four fun-filled days sailing to Key West, Florida. But as the passengers are enjoying all the amenities of the ship (which include a pool deck, casino and three dance floors), members of the film crew from Catalina Video are hard at work, preparing to shoot scenes for the upcoming release Voyager. After some filming in Los Angeles and Vermont, director Josh Eliot and his technicians are now ready to shoot the core of the movie (the sex scenes), and they are expecting to do it all in one day aboard the Regal Empress cruise ship. Today is the day.11:30 A.M. Arriving on the set, the crew begins setting up the lights and getting their equipment in order for the first scene. An unexpected power surge renders one of the two video cameras unusable, so Eliot will have to work at a disadvantage. He lights up the first of many cigarettes and surveys two video monitors and two tape decks; one of each will now remain blank. As the models begin showing up, makeup artist Bradley Picklesimer ushers Catalina superstar Steve Rambo to a chair and starts fiddling with his hair. Latin newcomer Enrico Vega doffs his swimsuit and begins posing provocatively for Catalina still photographer Jeff Burton.

“Most of these guys are so gorgeous, they don’t need makeup,” Picklesimer says, only half-joking. The veteran makeup artist and drag star, who has been working on porn sets for about five years, explains that he applies mostly face makeup, although sometimes body makeup is needed to cover up problems like sunburn or blemishes. Because the scenes being filmed today are mostly being shot outdoors, Picklesimer says that the makeup he’s applying is more natural, unlike the style he would use for a box-cover shoot. As he finishes off Rambo, Picklesimer beckons Mike Radcliffe into the makeup chair and asks in a bright, sunny voice, “Any special cuts or bruises I need to know about, hon?”

As Burton shoots Rambo and Catalina superbottom Ray Harley in an embrace nearby, Eliot sips coffee and explains the plot of Voyager. Basically, he says, it about a group of men on a cruise. “It’s like a sexual infomercial,” he laughs. “Tuck Johnson plays a stowaway. He comes onboard and is hiding out.…” Eliot is interrupted by a crew member to deal with a lighting problem. It seems that there are not enough electrical outlets to accommodate all the equipment. Eliot tells me that the movie is being shot with a chip camera, which is a broadcast-quality video camera that makes it easier to light. “You could shoot by candlelight,” he says. They are using natural sunlight for some scenes, but additional lights are needed to fill in, and these instruments have to be plugged in somewhere. Eventually, some long extension cords running to Eliot’s suite two decks below do the trick, and the problem is solved—for now. “God forbid we blow a fuse, though,” Eliot says with a worried expression.

12:30 P.M. After much preparation, it is time for the first shot of the day. As the other cast members joke good-naturedly with one another, Vega prepares to get sucked off by Mike Radcliffe. As he leans against a railing, Radcliffe falls to his knees and waits to hear the call for action. When it comes, the camera zooms in and Radcliffe goes to town. Eliot wears headphones and stares intently at the monitors. He cues the production assistant, who cues Ray Harley to enter the scene. Both men suck Vega’s uncut cock. Eliot directs through a mic on the headset as he watches the action. Videographer Mark Jensen, who also wears a headset, is directed to remove the camera from the tripod. As the scene progresses, Eliot suddenly exclaims, “Shit, we lost power!” The action stops and the technicians go to check on a blown fuse. Thirty feet away, onlookers peer over a rail with great curiosity. In a few minutes the problem is fixed, and shooting is resumed.

Now Jensen climbs over the railing with camera in hand and gets an over-the-shoulder shot of the blowjob. As the models once again focus on their work, the batteries in Eliot’s headset go dead. After a brief delay, Picklesimer is dispatched to get some new ones, then it’s back to work. “Keep kissing, you guys,” Eliot tells the models. “Okay, pan down to the sucking,” he tells Jensen. “Get the cock and the kissing, then go back up the railing.” The shots on the monitor reflect Eliot’s instructions.“Now, zoom into the cocksucking,” Eliot commands. “Ray, go down. Mike, work on the balls.” The models follow directions. Photographer Burton climbs up onto the top deck to get some action shots from above. After a few more minutes, the filming stops and the lighting is adjusted. Because there is only one camera being used, it is repositioned during the break. About 40 minutes later, the blowjob scene is wrapped, and the crew is ready to move on to the next setup.1:20 P.M. It is now time for Steve Rambo’s first scene with Tuck Johnson. The lights and camera have been moved to a more private location, between a passageway entry. Passengers are still milling around hoping to catch a glimpse of some porn-star sex. Production supervisor Brad Austin opens two large doors, which manage to obscure much of the view. His main concern is to give the models as much privacy as possible.

As Rambo leans against the wall, Johnson begins jerking off. Eliot is back at the monitors and puffing on another cigarette. “Okay, Steve, on your knees,” he says. As the scene begins, an electrical plug falls out of its socket. “Fuck!” Eliot shouts. They stop shooting. “It’s the evil sea witch,” he jokes. When the plug is reinserted, Eliot calls out, “Action! Okay, snap it with your mouth, Steve. ECU [extreme close-up] of that.” Rambo and Johnson lock hands as Rambo sucks Johnson’s cock and Johnson throws back his head. The videographer moves in with a lighting guy in tow. He aims the light as Jensen zooms in on the blowjob.

From the sidelines, buffed blond Caesar sports a hard-on as he watches, ready for action. After several minutes, Eliot cues him to join in. Caesar enters the scene and begins jerking off as the blowjob continues. “Go to a wide shot,” Eliot tells Jensen. Caesar and Johnson begin kissing as Rambo sucks off both of them. “Steve, five strokes on each cock then go back to the other,” Eliot says. Rambo does as he is told. “Rub the heads around each other. And keep your shoulders back!” Next, Johnson is directed to suck Caesar. He does so, and this goes on for many minutes. After capturing Rambo’s oral handiwork, the camera moves in for close-ups of each model’s face. Both Caesar and Johnson simulate the blowjob from the neck up, re-creating every bit of pleasure on their faces.2:20 P.M. The crew snacks on pizza brought in from the ever-present cruise-ship buffet. Picklesimer touches up Caesar’s makeup and admonishes Johnson, who keeps licking his dry lips. On the set, Ray Harley is positioned on some boxes for the upcoming scene in which he will be topped by Caesar. Harley prepares by lubing his ass, and Caesar places a condom on his still-erect penis. When all is ready, Eliot calls for action and requests a close-up of the fucking. “Rub your hands on his cheeks, Caesar,” Eliot says. Picklesimer stands off to the side, patiently waiting with more condoms and lube at the ready. “Besides makeup, I’m the condoms-and-lube girl, too,” he whispers with a smile.4:10 P.M. Nearly four hours after their blowjob scene this morning, Enrico Vega and Mike Radcliffe are about to shoot their fuck scene. Radcliffe is positioned by a railing and Vega is behind him. Vega is hard and wearing a condom, all set to go. When the scene begins, he enters Radcliffe and begins thrusting. The camera moves in and captures the fucking. After a while, Vega pulls off the condom and simulates orgasm with his facial expression. The guys switch positions and Vega shoots for real. As he orgasms, the spectators break into spontaneous applause. Their hours of standing in the hot sun have been rewarded. Vega appears surprised that he has had an audience the whole time, but he makes the best of it and bows for the passengers. Radcliffe is positioned on a towel for his cum shot, and Jensen moves in with a handheld camera. This takes another 15 minutes or so, before Radcliffe shoots. He is handed a towel, and the crew moves on.4:45 P.M. It is time for the final scene of the day. Everyone seems to be moving in fast motion because Eliot is worried that they are losing light. Due to the late hour, he decides that the last sequence will be shot in the boiler room of the ship. Although it is very hot inside, it will afford the models, Rambo and Johnson, more privacy, and it can be lit artificially so the crew won’t have to worry about the fading sunlight. Johnson will be topping Rambo in the scene, and both move into place. The action begins. Eliot hovers over the monitors. As Johnson enters and fucks Rambo, Eliot whispers, “Look at Tuck. He’s trembling! Now that’s good acting.”

The scene proceeds smoothly and quite quickly. The guys switch to another position, and the camera moves in for close-ups. Eventually, both orgasm. It is almost 6 P.M. when Eliot announces, “That’s it. That’s a wrap.” Everyone applauds, but there is no time to linger. The models gather their belongings and retreat to their cabins to rest for tonight’s live sex show, and the crew begins packing up their equipment. But Eliot’s work is far from done. When he returns to L.A. he will begin the process of editing the film, adding music and doing the post-production work that will make Voyager presentable to all the porn fans back on dry land.Reprinted from Manshots magazine (2000)

Matthew Anders is looking scruffy, sporting stubble and walking around his cabin in bare feet. The blond bottom from Warsaw, Poland, is one of the featured performers aboard the inaugural Pillage & Plunder Cruise to Key West, Florida, and tonight is the no-holds-barred live sex show that many of the passengers have been waiting for. At age 27, Anders has gone from appearing in softcore features for Pride Video to starring in Falcon productions such as High Tide. Recently, he has taken to performing exclusively with his boyfriend, Chris Michaels. The duo, who sport matching tattoos, has appeared together in The Cream Team and Daddy Please. As Michaels chats with friends in the other room, Anders sips water and talks about his adventures in porn. It is December 11, 1999.

How did you get started in the porn industry?It all began in 1995 when I moved to London. I was living in Canada.But you are from Poland.Yes, I moved to Canada when I was 15. My parents moved there.What was it like growing up there?It was great. I love Canada. But in 1995, I moved to London for two years and I saw an advertisement in Gay Times, which is a gay magazine there. They were looking for models, and I sent my snapshot and they liked it. And I did a layout.It was nude modeling?Yeah, I did a layout for the magazine, then I started getting phone calls.How did you feel about posing nude?Weird. Just because I had never done it before. I had to ask the photographer to leave the room every two seconds—especially when he needed the hard-on shot. Did you feel secure in your looks?No, I think I look better now, but some people like the little-boy look. And that is what I looked like.How old were you?I was 22, but I looked 18.Did you like that first layout?I didn’t, but everyone else did.And from that you got other offers?Yes, for regular modeling and movies and nudes.So, what made you decide to go the porn route?Actually, I did a little bit of everything, but the main reason I stayed with the gay porn was because it was a new experience. And it was weird, but I just loved showing my body naked. That’s the truth. But I am probably more shy now than I was before.Do you enjoy it?I just love looking at naked models, especially myself. I hope that doesn’t sound too conceited. (Laughs)Growing up, were you attractive?I was okay. I wasn’t on the top-10 list, but I looked good. My mother would always dress me up. She was a seamstress. I took care of myself. I think that is when I started coming out of the closet. Does your family know you’re gay?Yes, they do.And how do they deal with that?I never really told them. It just happened on its own. There is no problem. They love me whether I fuck ass or I fuck pussy.How old were you?About 16, I guess. That is when I started going to gay clubs in Canada.When was the first time you were with a guy?When I was 17.Had you been with women?Yes, and I still can find women beautiful and sexy, but that is not what I want. I am definitely gay. I made that choice many years ago.Did you jerk off a lot when you were younger?I used to beat off a lot when I was younger and single, but now that I have my boyfriend, I don’t have to jerk off anymore. We fuck like bunny rabbits all the time.What was your experience with porn growing up?I saw some magazines when I was 12.And what did you think?It was kind of interesting. It was men and women. Then, in Poland, because of religion, homosexuality was banned completely. Did you ever think you would do it?No. If you were to tell me six years ago that I would be working for Falcon or Catalina, I wouldn’t believe it. I used to watch guys in porn movies, then all of a sudden you are friends with them. It changes the whole thing.So, what was the first movie?The first one I ever did was for Pride Video and [director] Mike Esser. I did three or four for him. Then some for Euro Boy, Fowler Press. It seemed so easy. Everything was basically faked, except for kissing. All they needed was nudity. Then I went back to Canada from Britain and sent my pictures to Falcon. Then I did High Tide for Falcon Studios in ’97. And they put me as a main star; it was kind of scary.Why?Because I don’t sleep around, and I was always very picky about who I would be doing anything with. And having anal sex for me is very personal. So going and doing a movie and not having anal sex for a year and then being fucked by three guys, one after another with nine-inch cocks, wasn’t easy.Who were the guys?Mike Branson, Sebastian Cruz and someone else. It was scary and different. And the crew was so big. I was, like, Oh, my God, I have an audience. I had never experienced that. I am a very private person. No one knew anything about me. No one knows who I sleep with. No one knew if I was a top or a bottom, then all of a sudden, I am having sex with three guys in front of 12 people!Did Falcon sign you up as an exclusive?No, I didn’t want to. But I did three movies for them. I wanted to work with other video companies, too.Do you have a favorite movie that you’ve done?I think High Tide is one of the best. I love Soaked, which Chi Chi LaRue directed. Nice-looking men, clean-cut, good energy in the scene.Do you have a type?I like guys with brown eyes, dark hair. My boyfriend, Chris, has everything I like in a man. That is my perfect type.Any favorite scene or partner?It’s hard to say one. I don’t get to pick my partners. I would say 97 percent of the guys are not my type. I did a scene with Mike Henson in California Kings, but there were no sparks flying. It was work.When were the sparks flying?I have fun with most of the guys. I would say the scenes in High Tide and Soaked. I liked the cast. I give the credit to Falcon Studios. (Laughs)Any truth to the rumors that you and Tom Chase did not get along on High Tide?Everything is a rumor! (Laughs) I got along with Tom very well. It was fun working with him, and he is a unique person, in every way and size.Was doing porn a premeditated career choice for you?No, I was just doing it for fun. There was no particular reason I got into it. I just wanted to experience it. I liked the money, too. Of course, after doing the Falcon movie, I never got an agent. I am an agent for myself. I can promote myself very well. I sent out my photos to all the video companies, and they all responded. The second movie I did was Catalinaville, then I worked for All Worlds and other smaller companies. Then it became a career because I was doing one movie a week. It was great. I didn’t have to do a regular job. I never went into escorting or massage. What did your family know at this point?They knew I did movies, but they will never see them. I don’t keep secrets from my family. We are very open.How did you feel about watching yourself?Embarrassed. I’ve watched a couple, just out of curiosity. I like seeing myself naked, but I can’t get off to myself. I’d rather rent a movie with someone else.How did you meet your boyfriend, Chris Michaels?I met Chris at a gay club in West Hollywood. Was he in the business?No.Did he know who you were?No, he didn’t find out until a week or two later.And then you started dating?We started dating heavily, then three weeks after that we moved in with each other.When was that?We’ve been together two and a half years. When did he get into the porn industry?About a year after we met. We’ve done about five movies together.And how was that?Very good. Very comfortable. We are very hot for each other, so there are no limp dicks. (Laughs)Did you have any reservations about getting him involved?I was in control. I already knew the whole business, so he wouldn’t do anything stupid. I prepared him for it. After a while, we decided we were only going to do scenes together—to protect ourselves against diseases.So, you guys are monogamous?In every way.So, you wouldn’t work with anyone else?That’s out of the question.No threeways?No, I don’t think that would work.How do people in the industry react to that?I am not desperate for money. We both have good jobs. We have a nice condo. I don’t really worry if people will hire me with him or not. It’s just extra money.With barebacking films such a controversial topic in the business these days, I wonder whether you and Chris would ever consider doing a bareback scene.I don’t like the idea of barebacking. I am against having unprotected sex, and I know we would never do it in front of the camera or off.What do you guys do for work?Chris has his own business, and I am a hairstylist. I work in a salon in Orange County, California. That is my main source of income. I think people can only see so many scenes of the same people, but I think people like me and they like him, and it’s hot seeing two lovers having great sex in front of the camera. I think the movies with him sell well.What are your plans for the future?I don’t know. Eventually, Matthew Anders will leave the building. (Laughs) Eventually, I will leave. It’s a natural progression. I think people have seen enough of me and my boyfriend, and you can only do so much. I want people to remember me the way I look now, not how I will look 10 years from now. I’m not interested in aging in front of the camera. I want them to keep that image.And what is that image?Down-to-earth, regular Joe. I’m not conceited. I don’t think much of myself. I am very critical of myself as well. It’s up to my friends and fans how they see me. I see myself as normal. I carry myself well, but other than that…Do you enjoy touring and performing live?I love going to different places and performing. It’s a bigger high than doing movies. The fans know all the movies and what I did in each. People are very generous and nice.What has been your experience with fans?They love me. (Laughs) And they put me on a pedestal, but I must tell you, once you get off that stage, you’re on the same level as everyone else. And that’s fine with me.

December 10, 1999

Tuck Johnson is sitting on the top deck of the Regal Empress cruise ship taking in a stunning view of the sea. The 26-year-old newcomer is a featured performer on the inaugural Pillage & Plunder Cruise, where he will dance before a live audience and film scenes for the Catalina release Voyager. Settling in for a chat before disembarking to spend the day in Key West, Florida, Johnson looks tanned and comfortable in shorts and a tank top.

How did you end up here as a porn star on a porn cruise?Well, I came out to L.A. to be an actor and a model. Where are you from?I grew up in Thousand Oaks, California, outside L.A. where the clean air is.And how did you get into movies?I met this one guy, and we had a business situation where he could use my credit and my car and I could stay at his place for free. I was gonna be an extra, and I thought I could pay my expenses, but I was only getting $40 a day, so I needed money. Extra work doesn’t pay the bills. He was an escort, and he went to Numbers in L.A. And I told him I would go too. And he didn’t know, but I was getting offers and asking for $500. Then I was talking to my sister about getting a job at Paramount as a security guard and getting $13 an hour. And she said, “I babysit the children of someone who works there.” And then it dragged on, getting the application, and then I didn’t get it. The funny thing is I still wonder if I had waited maybe I could have gotten that job instead of doing porn, but it didn’t happen so…I needed money and I looked in Frontiers magazine and I saw Johnny Johnston’s, my agent, ad.And are you enjoying it?I don’t mind doing porn, because I try to be very mature, but for my soul it is hard. The sex gets hard.Are you a religious person?I’m very spiritual but not religious, if that makes sense. I believe as long as I’m a kind person, it doesn’t matter if I go heaven or not. It doesn’t matter because if God doesn’t want me for being kind, then I don’t want to be there.So you talked to Johnny Johnston?I called him up and went down there, and then got pictures and it went from there.What was the first movie?Lost Exit. It was directed by Billy Wyatt. I like the end where I mysteriously disappear.Were you nervous about that first movie?I was a little nervous at first.Was it a tough decision to do it or not?No, because right when I decided to do it, I did it. I had already thought about it.Did you think about your family?Well, my parents are divorced. I thought about my mom. She’ll be the last person to know.Do you identity as gay or straight?Actually, I’m bi. I don’t like saying that because gay people hate me ’cause I’m part straight and straight people hate me ’cause I’m part gay, but I’m attracted to both. I’m sexually attracted to women, but I want to find love with men. I can get horny with men. I know how to do it. But now with this work, I can get sex, but I’m looking for love. It’s hard with all the stuff about sexually transmitted diseases.Did you have girlfriends?I had girlfriends, but that is one of the reasons I like gay people but I hate fags. I put gay people into two categories: the good gay people are the nice people I like hanging out with, and the fags are the ones who only try to use people and are snooty.And which have you met more of?I’ve met more faggy people because of this industry. The good gay people are calm and are at their houses. And a lot of gay people, you don’t even know they’re gay because they act normal. They act straight. So, you never know.Does your family know about your work?No, not about porn. They think I’m acting and modeling.Is it hard to keep it a secret?It is and it isn’t. I’m a good actor.Tell us about growing up. When did you first discover sex?I guess I never knew the word “homosexuality.” When I was in fifth grade, there was this blond guy and there was something about him that I was attracted to. The funny thing is, I said something about finding him attractive and all the kids said, “Oh, my God, are you gay?” And then, that was that. The whole subject stopped right there. That was the first thing I remember. It’s hard to remember how I felt. I found him attractive. There were girls I was attracted to too.When did you first have sex?When I was 15, there was a girl I was friends with. We talked about sex and just did it. What about with guys?I thought about guys, but being gay is hard. Why?Because it’s not really a normal thing. You can’t really have friends. You never know if they want to be friends or just want your body. I’d love to be friends with everyone, but if I don’t want to have sex, then they get mad.What was your first clue that you might like guys?There was a newsstand that came to Thousand Oaks, and they had gay magazines out in the open. I looked at one and that made me think more about guys. And then I went to a club with a friend in West Hollywood. She didn’t know I liked guys. Then I saw the magazine, and it all came together. I was open to it.Did you jerk off a lot as a kid?When I was 20, I’d be in the library jerking off. In the restroom. (Laughs)Did you watch a lot of porn?I didn’t do anything gay until I was 23 years old. The first porno, I don’t remember. I did jack off to those magazines with guys when I was 20. So how did you meet the first guy you were with?I went to Micky’s or Rage in West Hollywood and a guy came up to me, and I had a friend and we went to his place and had a threeway. That was the first time. He was teaching me to suck dick.How did you like it?It was kind of weird. And he told me not to use my teeth. I was mostly scared. Unless I get horny or make myself horny, I still get nervous and shake when I’m with a guy. I don’t always enjoy it. In magazines, handsome guys turn me on, but I get nervous. That’s why I’m looking for love.Have you had any relationships?I’ve never had a boyfriend, I guess because I’m looking for the perfect guy.And what is the perfect guy?Someone who has a kind heart and is normal. Someone who doesn’t take drugs. I don’t smoke, drink or take drugs. I don’t even drink coffee. I believe health is beauty. I’m very life conscious. Don’t buy me flowers! (Laughs)Have you had more sex onscreen than off?Yes. I’m trying to find a guy that I’m in love with and attracted to. So, how many movies have you done?About 10, I think.Any favorites?Lost Exit. Actually, that is the only one I’ve seen. I like that I mysteriously disappear, because that is the type of person I try to be. I see all the evil in the world, and I try to do something better. I try to be a next-generation person.Any favorite people you’ve worked with?I like [director] Jim Steel because he’s been really nice to me.Do you have a specific type of guy that you like?I like the pure look, not all the muscle and such.Are you a top or a bottom?I prefer being a top because people usually don’t know how to fuck. (Laughs) So I’d rather top.Do you ever watch your own movies?I don’t really. I do watch porn, but not me. I do it to see myself better.Is there anything special you’d like to do onscreen?I’d like to realistically experience something that happened. I like college jocks. That is the kind of guy I want to fall in love with. And if I could have sex with a straight guy in a football uniform or in his truck, that would turn me on.How would you define your image?Very athletic. Very strong. Like that image from Lost Exit—that I am strong, but I am also mysterious.What do you see for the future? Will you stay in the industry?My plan is to do this and make as much money as possible. I want to go to school and become a mechanical engineer. And because of how I feel about sex, it’s not really a job I can tell my mom about, so it’s probably not something I can stay with.Do you ever think about the repercussions of doing porn?I don’t think I’ll have a problem with that, except if I want to be an actor or a model, which I would love to do—more of a model because I like those kind of people. I’m afraid that some news jerk might tell everyone I was in porn and ruin it. I don’t care if people know, but I don’t want someone telling everyone and hurting me.How do you feel knowing that people are jerking off to your image?I don’t really have a problem with it. It’s just a job. I go there and try to do my job better and hopefully get a raise. It doesn’t phase me. I guess the only problem with the porn industry is if I am looking for love and [my potential lover] is not in the porn industry and what he thinks of that. That’s what I really want. I want to fall in love and wake up in the morning and look in his eyes and say, “I love you.”

September 21, 1999

It is September 21, 1999, and Will Clark is still recovering from the second-annual Bad Boys Pool Party a few days before. The 29-year-old porn veteran—who has appeared in 35 films over the past four years—conceived and organized the event to benefit Aid for AIDS, a Los Angeles–based charity. Casually dressed in jeans and sporting his trademark buzz cut, Clark is relieved that the pool party was a success despite less-than-perfect weather. As he good-naturedly talks about his longevity in an industry in which he is almost as well known for his charity work as for his films, it’s easy to see why this redheaded Iowa native has bucked all the odds to become one of gay porn’s longest-running and hardest-working stars.

You are known in the porn industry for both your movies and your humanitarian work. Tell us how you got your start.Well, I’d been working in New York as an actor. I got a role in an off-off Broadway show in the winter of 1995. I had been in New York for about a year. It was at the Wings Theatre in the Village, and the show was called The Lascivious Transformation of Mr. X. It was this insane, nutty play. After that, I got all these auditions. But I realized I didn’t want to be out of work for six months or do Meet Me in St. Louis on the road. I wanted to act, but I had trouble finding roles. I just didn’t fit anything. I wasn’t the type they were looking for. No one was casting a young, redheaded male. So to earn money, I started go-go dancing at Limelight and Tunnel and Palladium. I also started doing escort work, and I really enjoyed that (laughs).Did you have any qualms about using your body to make a living?No, but I kinda thought, “Who would pay money to have sex with me?” I wasn’t a hunk or anything. At the time, as an actor, I spent a lot of time living in my head. But I didn’t think of myself as a sexual object. To then have someone pay me to dance…it was a huge compliment. I was very self-conscious and pale and thin. I worked out, but I wasn’t bulked up. Had your Iowa upbringing prepared you for this?No (laughs). I was from a conservative, white-bread, Republican family. I had a very normal childhood. I lived in the same house all growing up. My parents were together. They were very affectionate. My father died of cancer when I was 17. We didn’t really talk about sex. It wasn’t in the fabric of our household. When I hear other people’s stories, I think, “Thank God.” There were no huge family traumas. What were your first experiences with sex like?Sex kinda came later for me—really, really late. I made jokes about sex with the neighborhood kids. I remember one kid saying, “Fucking is when two people kiss with no clothes on.” I tried to think what was wrong with that. Jerking off came late. I had a few wet dreams, but I didn’t quite put two and two together. No one explained it to me. It wasn’t until I was almost out of my teens (laughs), well, 20, when I was at college that I did it. I used to wear sweatpants without underwear, and it started rubbing and I got hard, then had the discharge. And I got this wave of pleasure.Did you have a roommate?Yeah, and thank God he wasn’t there at the time. Oh, my God. And I was like, “What just happened? And how can I do it again?” I was like a sexual moron.Did you use porn at all?Well, in my junior year, my roommate had a subscription to Sports Illustrated, and I started jerking off to the swimsuit issue. It was the only thing that was available. My first experiences with porn were a few years later. There was a guy I had been corresponding with in St. Louis, and he brought out a porn tape. It was really stupid. The guys were in a frat house, and they were having sex in the kitchen. I thought the acting was crappy.Did you think it was something you could do?It never occurred to me. I wasn’t interested. Had you dated a lot in school—guys or girls?Well, I’ve always had an interest in both. I had fooled around with girls here and there, but nothing too serious. I didn’t have much time to date in high school. Also, when my dad got sick, the last thing I wanted to deal with was that. After I started jerking off, I met a girl and we fooled around. We didn’t go all the way, though. Then I met this really hot British guy. He was great. He laughed at my jokes! I tried to fuck him, but he wasn’t into it. So he fucked me. It was kind of awful at first, painful. But then it got better.Okay, so you ended up in New York…Yeah, so I was in New York and doing some dancing. Then, I decided to be a writer. A promoter I was working for in 1995 said, “I know some people at Falcon. Why don’t you send your pictures to them?” So I did.And what did Falcon say?They said, “You’re too white, you’re too hairy, you’re a redhead. We don’t care for any of that stuff. And you need to bulk up.” Did you take that personally?I knew that already; I knew I wasn’t the Falcon type. They weren’t interested, which was too bad because I would have loved to have work for them. But it got me thinking. I hooked up with some old friends in San Francisco and one friend, Rob Boxer, had worked for Hot House. So I called up Steven Scarborough and went over there. I did the whole interview thing—in my clothes. They took me into the other room and said they wanted me to take my clothes off and get a hard-on. They were worried that I thought they were objectifying me. But I was, like, “Objectify me! That’s why I’m here!”And that led to your first film?Yeah, they put me in Dr. Goodglove, in which I fisted Steve Pierce. And I didn’t really know what I was doing. I was fisting this guy and going, “Where is the erotic thrill? I’m sticking my hand up someone’s ass.” It was no big deal to me. I kept asking if Steve was okay, and both Steve Pierce and Steven Scarborough were like, “You don’t have to keep asking that. The man can take a Mack truck up his ass!” All I could think of were legal problems if I damaged his ass!Before doing the film, did you give a lot of consideration as to whether or not you should?I figured I’d do a couple of movies, get it out of my system and move on. I also figured if anyone saw it, I would be a writer by then and no one would know what I looked like. I figured it was irrelevant to my life. I said I didn’t want to be on any box covers, though. I thought that would protect me a bit. Because it was different if someone watched the movie versus just walking by the box. But before I knew it, I had done six movies in about six weeks.Does your family know about the movies?No.Do they know you’re gay?Oh, yeah.Are they cool with that?They’re okay. It’s not something we talk about. I have taken my boyfriend home a couple of times. They like him and think he’s nice, but they sort of have a problem with the gay thing.Let’s talk about some of the directors you’ve worked with. Do you have a favorite?I like David Thompson a lot. We’re friends, and he’s a former porn star, so he runs a very casual, loose set. There is work to be done, but there’s a loose feeling. I did a scene for Mark Kleim for Brush Creek. He’s a kooky guy in San Francisco, and I had one of the best times with him. He just said, “Go have sex and I’ll film it.” He was so laid-back. I’ve worked with Chi Chi LaRue, and that was great. I did Night Walk with Gino Colbert. He’s also kinda laid-back, but you work long days with him because he’s so meticulous. He’s also got great stories.What do you think is your best work?Well, some I haven’t seen.Do you usually watch your own films?I used to, but I’ve kind of fallen behind. I’ve got about 10 at home sitting in my drawer that I haven’t had time to watch. The one I always tell friends to get is Island Guardian, which I did about three years ago in Hawaii for Titan. York Powers and I had this amazing scene in the mud.Who is your favorite person to work with?Cole Tucker is up there. But it’s hard for me to separate the people I like from how good the scene is.Is there anyone you’d like to work with?I’d love to work with Jason Branch and Blake Harper. Tom Matthews is also amazingly hot. Tommy Lord is cute too. And Dean Phoenix is the best kisser in the industry. We made out in a scene in SNAFU, and a year and a half later, I still remember that kiss!What do you attribute your longevity to?I think it’s a combination of things. I have a popularity with fans, and that’s important. I’ve been good at marketing on the Web. I take care of my fans when I tour—give them pictures and promotional materials. The columns I write and the fund-raisers I do help raise awareness of my presence. Everything sort of blends together. Plus, I’ve been very lucky. I mean, I’ve thought the career has ended at least a thousand times because the phone stops ringing. And it does for everybody. And you get to a point where you say, “I guess I’m over now. I had a good run.” Then you do other things, and suddenly, boom, you get another movie.Do you think it has anything to do with how you constantly change your image?I think the change in looks has given me a certain longevity. It was serendipitous because I started out looking a certain way because I thought that was what others wanted. When I was dancing, I thought I’d work the apple-pie look. I like the apple-pie look, but it’s not who I really am. Then, I shaved my chest for a while because I figured that was what porn people looked like. But over time, I became more comfortable with myself and my career. It’s become a reflection of who I really am. I’ve enjoyed the evolution, the story arc of my character, and so have the fans. That way, I can be all things to all people. Now, I’m back where I started.Let’s talk about your charity work and the humanitarian awards you’ve won. How did you first get involved?Well, I started doing charity work in June of ’97. When I lived in Chicago, I worked as a volunteer for Stop AIDS Chicago. Then I did a couple of little fund-raisers in New York. At one, I saw Blue Blake and how great he was onstage. I didn’t think I could ever host a show as well as he did. I was in awe. Then in ’97, I called Aid for AIDS and asked if I could help. That started a huge chain of events. The same week I had won a leather title in New York, Mr. Northeast Drummer. At the same time, I met my boyfriend, Rob, that same day, and my Web site [www.willclarkusa.com] started that day too. So June 15, 1997 was a huge day. After that first benefit at the Gauntlet, I thought, “This is something fun that I could do.” I started calling people I knew in the leather community and asking if I could do something at their bar for their favorite charity. And it snowballed from there.Did you create the Bad Boys Pool Party event yourself?Yeah. I did this birthday party for myself and Dino DiMarco and Sam Dixon in March of ’98. And after that, I was talking to Mickey Skee and he was doing promotion for his Bad Boys of Video book. And I was in the book, and I thought some other guys in the book would make great bartenders. I said, “Hey, why not call it the Bad Boys Pool Party and promote Mickey’s book and the guys in the book?” And that became the hook of the party. And it evolved from that. The first party earned $8,300, and the second earned $10,600. And the first birthday party earned a hair under $4,000. All three benefited Aid for AIDS’ general fund and the Joey Stefano Fund, which benefits porn stars with HIV and AIDS. It’s been really rewarding to see people in the industry benefit from the fund. And it’s been fun—the fans get to meet their favorite stars, the studios and stars get publicity, and the charity raises money. It’s a win-win situation. That’s how I like to operate my life. Everybody gets something out of the experience. There are no losers.So, where do you hope to take all this?Well, that’s an interesting question. I’ve signaled the demise of my career many times and then something comes up. I thought this was just a little six-week thing I was going to do, and here I am four years later, still going strong, with columns in three magazines [Dude, SkinFlicks and International Leatherman] and an online column [Porn Star Confidential, which is syndicated to seven different Web sites]. I estimate about 2,000 people read my online column every week. I also write an online journal, which people like. And I do all the fund-raisers.And you’ve won all those awards. Tell us which ones.Well, I won the Leo Ford Humanitarian Award at last year’s GEVAs. I won the Special Award for Gay Causes at the AVNs, and Aid for AIDS gave me a gratitude award at the last pool party because I’ve raised $25,000 for them in the past two years. And I calculate I’ve raised about $50,000 to $60,000 for a variety of other causes. But I couldn’t do it without the stars, the companies, the fans and their generosity. I live by the adage, Give the fans what they want, then give them more! It’s a great way to live.Reprinted from Manshots magazine (1999)

September 20, 1999

Lean and lanky Thomas Lloyd arrives at the French Market restaurant in West Hollywood fresh from his workout. Wearing a tank top, shorts and a baseball cap, the 32-year-old screen stud orders coffee and lights up the first of many cigarettes. Settling all six feet and three inches of himself into a chair at an outdoor table, the star of such films as Redwood, Fallen Angel II, Dirty Hairy and Animus begins talking about his Topeka, Kansas, roots, and what led him to Los Angeles and the business of making porn. It is September 20, 1999.

You’ve had quite a year. How did you get involved in the industry?Well, it’s a long story, but it was a total accident is what it boils down to. When I was 30 years old, I was still living in Kansas City and I went through a midlife crisis. At 30?At 30! I spent the entire day in bed on my 30th birthday with the covers drawn up over me and the shades closed. I was Mr. Doom and Gloom because I was trapped in Kansas, and I really wanted to work on my music and get it out there to the public. But I wasn’t able to do that in Kansas.What did you do in the years leading up to 30?I went to college for three years in Topeka and spent my senior year at university in France. After that, I returned to Kansas and went into postgraduate studies for secondary education. But during my student teaching, I was repressed. I had just come to terms with my homosexuality at the age of 26. When I came out, I came out! I was tired of being in the closet.Had you dated women?Yes. I had known since the age of three that I was attracted to men, but I was an only child. I was adopted. We lived in the country, distant from other people. I was a strange kid. I didn’t have a whole lot of friends. So I didn’t know that other people didn’t feel this way. How strange?I was just weird. I’ve always been independently minded, always doing very strange things. I was like a mad scientist because I was always into science fiction. I loved Star Trek. I’d be off by myself, in my own little world, even when I was with other people. I spent most of my time in the school library.But you knew that you had these feelings for men?Yes, but I aped everyone else. I started dating women, like everyone else. I pushed those feelings aside. But I didn’t really think in a sexual manner. I mean, I remember my dick getting hard, but I didn’t associate that with anything sexual. I had no idea! I was 17 before I ever masturbated. And my cousin showed me how. We jacked off a bit together, just ourselves, side by side. But I thought he was really hot. That was when I realized that I was very different. What do you remember about your discovery?Oh gosh, there was so much at once. I was totally intrigued with it. I’m sure my mother wondered why there were fingerprints in her can of Crisco because that was my favorite lubricant. (laughs)What happened when you were 26 that made you come bursting out of the closet?Well, I had been struggling with these issues for a while. I went through a highly destructive phase, doing all sorts of drugs and losing the will to live because I was not being me. I started having more and more thoughts of guys, and I didn’t know how to express it because I didn’t really know any other gay people. I’m sure they were there, but I hadn’t perfected the gaydar. I remember that I picked up a copy of the local newspaper—it was a very liberal town, even for Kansas—and there were personals for men seeking men. I would read those ads every week and stash it under my sofa, and I’d have to get really drunk before I would dare read through it.One night, it was just before Christmas, the neighbor girl from upstairs came down. She was cute, and she stripped and wanted to do it. I had been sexually abstinent for about four years at that point. I was trying to kill my sexual urge for men by killing my sexual urge entirely. I even reduced the masturbation a lot. I was trying to make myself asexual. So, I tried to do the nasty with her and it just wasn’t working and she repulsed me. I couldn’t even get hard. So I sent her out, had a couple of drinks, pulled out the personals and dialed a number right then. I left a message on the voicemail; the guy called me back within 20 minutes and said to come over. I did, had a dick in my mouth and said, “Yes, this is what I’ve been missing!”Were you scared to do it?Yes, I was petrified. I knew no one. All I knew was what I heard in the press, you know, about the Jeffrey Dahmers, who will take you in and run you through a band saw and eat you for lunch! But the guy I met was nice. He was not exactly the most beautiful man in the world, but at that point in time, to me he was an Adonis. He was a guy who had a dick, and he fulfilled this fantasy I had been carrying around for God knows how long. Once I figured it out, I went through about one week of saying, “I’m bisexual.” Then, I said, “Forget this. I’m not bisexual, I’m gay.” I promptly told my friends, and they were, like, “Who cares?”Did you tell your family at that point?I told them a year and a half later. At my 10-year high school reunion, I took my boyfriend. And since my father is a doctor in the community and most of my former classmates are his patients, I knew that word was going to get back to him. So I figured I would tell him ahead of time and get it out in the open. It did not go well. Mom burst into tears, and Dad turned white as a sheet and stormed out. But my boyfriend and I were the hit of the prom.Have your parents come around since then?Not really. But we never talk about it. It’s not a subject I bring up and they don’t touch it.Do they know about your work in porn?No, they don’t have a clue. If they did, they would probably hire an assassin and kill me. And I’m not kidding. Does that make you uncomfortable? Do you wish they knew?Well, they’ve never accept me in anything I’ve ever done. And I deal with that. I don’t like the fact that I have to hide things.What was your first experience with watching porn?The only porn I have ever watched, before I ever participated, was a straight porno when I was 18 at the Princess Cinema in Topeka, Kansas. I was very drunk with some high school buddies, and it was the most foul and disgusting thing I had seen in my life. I walked into this theater that smelled of...you know, and there were a bunch of old men tossing off, watching these horrible women with sagging body parts on the screen. It was just foul and repulsive. Before I ever got into the industry, I thought porn was dirty and disgusting.Did you think it was something you might want to do?Oh, no. Never in my life did I ever even consider the notion of doing porn or even nude photography.So what happened?I just surprised myself. I always liked to be a show-off, but up to that point, my showing off had been limited to more cerebral things. I never considered myself physically appealing. When I look in the mirror to this day, I still see the geeky, lanky, 17-year-old kid with the horrible skin condition staring back. Did your decision to do porn have anything to do with you self-esteem?Yeah, and this is not an insult, but I’ve found that a lot of models have low self-esteem, unnecessarily. They probably felt like I did. They grew up in a situation where they felt different and people treated them like second-class citizens. It’s something that carries over, and we all find ways of dealing with it. And being a show-off is one way of dealing with it. So how did you ultimately get out of Kansas and into porn?I was a French translator for Exxon. I hated my job. I wanted to work on my music and get away from the corporate side. So I sold everything, bought a plane ticket to San Francisco, packed up my musical equipment and went. Why San Francisco?Because I’d never really been to California. I thought it was an artsy-fartsy musical community, plus I was tired of being in the closet. I wanted to be someplace where I could totally be me.And that led to modeling?Yes, while looking for a job, I saw an ad in the paper that said “Models Wanted.” I had done some fashion modeling back in Kansas, so I answered this ad and it turned out to be nude modeling for the Internet. I’d never done anything like that before, but my new philosophy was to try new things, I said, “Sure, I’ll audition.” And I stripped and they said, “Looks good.”Have you always been in shape?No, it’s always been a struggle. I was a very fat child. Late teens, I got lanky and scrawny but not very much in shape. I never hit the gym until my late twenties. I looked pretty good, I guess. We went to the photo shoot, which was in the Redwood Forest, north of San Francisco. And it turned out that we were doing promotional stills for the Internet for the video Redwood, which Titan Media was shooting at the time. While I was up there, Bruce Cam from Titan Media saw me and asked if I’d like to do a scene in the movie.What did you think?I didn’t know what to say. I was so embarrassed. I thought, “Do I really want to have sex, in front of a bunch of people, on camera, and then have the universe see me having sex?” Then I thought, “This could be cool,” because I was really getting off on doing the nude poses. Were you comfortable being naked?I started off being shy, but I got into it. I surprised myself. I never knew I was an exhibitionist. It brought out the monster in me! (laughs)Did you enjoy the attention?I loved the attention because I had never really gotten a lot of attention before.How long did it take you to decide to do the scene?About five minutes. I’m impulsive at times. Did you shoot the scene right then and there?The following day. Shot it in a greenhouse with the entire cast and crew standing around outside. And I was so nervous.Who was your scene partner?It was Austin Woods. I think he was a newcomer too. Were you comfortable with what you had to do in the scene?Not at first. They explained what I had to do, which was to go into the greenhouse and pounce on the guy.And you were the top?Yes, I am exclusively a top—in real life and film. I was very nervous at first, then that exhibitionist in me came out. How long did the scene take to do?Oh my gosh, all day. About five or six hours. But it got really warm in that greenhouse.Any problem with your cum shot?Never. That is never a problem. If and when I get aroused, I never have trouble. It’s all a matter of chemistry with your partner. I’d rather get to know my scene partners beforehand, but I usually meet them two minutes before I have some part of them in my mouth!After doing that first scene, did you plan to do other films?I thought it was a onetime deal. But Titan called me back four months later to shoot Fallen Angel II. I was given a copy of Fallen Angel I to get an idea what it was like, and when I saw Steve Cannon, I was just drooling. I was praying I’d get a scene with him! But I didn’t. Did the leather content turn you off?No. I keep getting cast as this leather-daddy type, I guess because of my size, but honestly, I’m pretty vanilla. I love wearing leather because it looks good. But—I hate to disappoint the leather fans—it’s not really me. I’m just not that rough. But I agreed to do it, and I had fun. Damon Page was my partner. He’s a beautiful man, and we had a ball. Bruce Cam directed again.Were you also working on your music at the time?When I shot Redwood, I had just gotten a job as an accounts manager for a large food company. But soon after, I became the Webmaster for the company that was doing the CD-ROM for Redwood. I ended up producing and developing the CD-ROM for Redwood, and I composed the soundtrack.So how did you end up in Los Angeles?Well, I really didn’t like San Francisco. I like warm weather. So I thought I had a job in Los Angeles, so I moved here. The job fell through, but I made other connections and got some Web design projects. I started freelancing, and now I have my own Internet design company.And that led to L.A. porn connections?Yes, then I started going to porn events in L.A. I guess Will Clark’s first Bad Boys Pool Party was my big launching point. Nobody knew who I was until then.What made you attend that event?When I moved out here, I was contacted by Jamoo and he interviewed me for his book Superstars #2. We got to be friends, and he brought me to the pool party. I started meeting people. I’ve never solicited any studio for work. I want to be the one that somebody really wants for a film. So who came calling?Greenwood Cooper, for their first hard-core film. Then Can-Am, I did their Web site. Then Chi Chi LaRue used me in The Final Link. Then All Worlds used me for Animus. Studio 2000 contacted me for Czech Point. I haven’t done a whole lot of videos. I’ve only done 11 in two years, which isn’t a lot. I’d much rather do a very few quality videos as opposed to a ton of mediocre videos. That’s not what it’s about for me. Even today, every time I do a video or a photo shoot, I fully expect it to be my last. I treat it that way because I don’t want to get a big head. I want people to know that I am not a porn “star.” I’m just a guy who does videos, and I do it for fun.So you don’t consider this a career?No, and I never will. The day I stop bringing a little joy, a little pleasure, a little excitement to somebody’s life, that’s the day I hang up my cockring forever. ’Cause that’s the only reason I do it—to bring something, to touch somebody’s life, to bring a little excitement that they can’t experience. I had 27 years of not being able to experience a lot of things that I only had vague fantasies about.Do you have a favorite film that you’ve been in?Animus.What was it like being directed by Wash West?Wash is incredible. He’s a sweetheart to work with. He has this vision. As a model, it can be annoying because he knows what he wants. He wants these really awesome shots. It’s worth the time and trouble. But it makes for long shoots.How does his technique differ from other directors?He takes a lot of time. He gives some direction but enough free reign to do what turns you on.How comfortable do you feel with the acting aspect of the films?I had done some acting way back in high school, and I enjoy it. But I was not as prepared for Animus as I should have been because I didn’t have as much notice. I had one day’s notice.How long did it take to film?Five days, which is long. I was in a lot of scenes, a lot of night scenes. I’m not exactly a night person, and my eyes look red in some scenes.Is there a favorite scene that you’ve done?The one with Tommy Lords in Animus, because he was new and fresh and innocent. But I’ve loved everyone I’ve been with. No bad experiences, other than getting my face slammed against that wire fence in Fallen Angel II. I had fence prints on my face for weeks! What has been your experience with the fans?Mostly good. I’ve had some strange requests. The thing I find most annoying is that people assume I’m an escort, which is not the case. I don’t see it as a bad thing, but I am not one. I like to get personal with my fans, but not that personal.Do you watch your own movies?Always, but just once. Only for criticism. To see how I look. I do not turn myself on! My type is anybody but me.Do you enjoy knowing that you’re getting other guys off?Yeah, that is hot. I’m hoping to fulfill a fantasy. I know what it’s like to need fantasies, and I think it’s the coolest thing to fulfill someone’s fantasy.What’s ahead for Thomas Lloyd?You know, I kind of play it by ear. I would like to think and hope that eventually my music career will take off. I am releasing a CD of music that I wrote for The Final Link soundtrack.How would you define your image?Thomas Lloyd is just the boy next door. I am just the boy next door. I’m not stunningly gorgeous. I’m just me.

August 28, 1999

Scott Matthews enjoys being a porn star, and he’s the first person to admit it. This Southern stud—who was born in Mobile, Alabama, grew up in Atlanta and attended college in North Carolina—has taken the business by storm in the past year with his wholesome good looks and mouthwatering endowment. At age 29, he has made ten films (including Night Riders, Iron Will and Another Man’s Hand), but he never actually planned on getting into the porn industry. Matthews originally came to New York City to pursue a career in musical theater. So how did he end up making a living off the nine-inch wonder that resides in his trousers? We met up with him recently and posed that and many other questions. He showed up for lunch on a broiling August day dressed in a tank top and denim shorts, but it wasn’t the bulge in his pants that impressed us, it was his sparkling aqua-blue eyes.

Are those your real eyes?Yes, they are (laughs). People always think that they’re contacts but they’re real.I’ve never seen eyes that color before.Oh, thanks. They all mine.So how did you get started in the porn industry?I was always interested in porn. I have a huge collection of it. I think most porn stars do. And people had always told me I was very well-endowed. A friend of mine knew a director in New Jersey named Robert Prion, and I went to one of his parties. He offered me a film, and we came up with a name for me. That was my first agreed-upon movie (Shameless). At the same time, my friend also introduced me to Michael Lucas, and we shot that movie (Homebodies) first. At the same time, I was e-mailing Alec Powers and Chris Rock, and I sent them pictures over the Internet. They sent them to the agent Peter Scott, and he wanted to represent me. So from that, I made a couple of trips to L.A. and met Chi Chi LaRue and a lot of other people, including the Falcon people and that’s how I got that film (Iron Will).Now, you were 28 or 29 years old. Was this something you consciously decided to do?No, it just happened. I think I look younger than I am. I don’t think I would have been ready for it when I was younger. I came from a very conservative, religious household in Georgia. Mentally, I don’t think I could have handled it sooner.Does your family know you are in the industry?No, they don’t know. I don’t think it’s very important. They have their own lives, and they are not in an area where they might be subjected to it. It’s no big deal.Do they know you’re gay?Oh, yeah.What was it like doing that first movie?Before the movies, I had done some dancing in a small club in New York to get rid of my self-consciousness. It was easy money, too. That made me more comfortable being naked in front of people. So it wasn’t that hard for me to get naked and get hard the first time on a movie set. When did you first know you were so well-endowed?My first lover, actually. I was 20. It was when I first came out. I had lived a very sheltered life before. We started having sex together and he told me. And I was, like, “Oh, really?” Where I grew up we didn’t really have gym class where you could compare. But I eventually found out.How did you first discover jerking off?The movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High! There’s a scene where Phoebe Cates is getting out of the pool and Judge Reinhold is jerking off in the bathroom. And that is what prompted me to learn about it. I did what I thought he was doing, and it happened.What is the hottest scene you’ve done and with whom?The movie I did for Paul Barresi (Marine Father, Navy Son). I have a scene with Alex Wilcox, and he’s straight. He only has gay sex on film. I play a sailor and he’s a Marine. And we were in a little bathroom and I bottomed for him. It was a really hot scene. We did everything. I think it’s the whole idea of him being straight that turned me on so much.How do you feel about topping versus bottoming?I want to be as good as a bottom as I am as a top. I think my top abilities are still better because I’m not that experienced as a bottom. But I think I do very well. In real life, I don’t really have a preference. If I am dating someone, he has to be versatile or I get bored!Have you ever had a problem fucking a guy because of your dick size?Oh, yeah. There have been a couple of guys in the industry who are bottoms who had trouble taking it. But they get used to it and are fine. One young guy just couldn’t take it. We had to work around it.Are there any sexual fantasies that you have lived out on film?I am still waiting for some to come true. I’m still pretty new to the industry.Are there any porn stars you’d like to work with?I’ve always wanted to work with Tom Katt. I’ve wanted to top him in a scene so bad. I like topping big muscular men. I have a thing for South American guys, Brazilians, bodybuilder types. I did a scene with Eric Evans in Gino Colbert’s new movie, Porn Fiction. He’s a big, hairy boy, and it was hot. Have you always been attracted to that?Yeah, but it’s not necessarily the best thing for me long-term or relationship-wise.Are you in a relationship now?Yeah, I’m currently involved with someone I care about immensely. It’s been about three or four months. Not that long, but for me, that’s good (laughs). I’m very happy. We have a lot in common and enjoy spending a lot of time together. Would you say you’re an exhibitionist?It depends. I keep my porn life and my real life totally separate. Scott is an exhibitionist when he is working, on the set or at a publicity event. He likes being looked at, but in real life, when I’m at the gym, I’m very private. I don’t walk around naked. I don’t shower there. Being Scott Matthews is like an acting role for me.What is your ultimate fantasy scene?Well, I’ve always had a daddy fantasy. I’m the son, of course. But I wind up fucking the daddy in the end. Kind of like a Zak Spears daddy type—very muscular and hairy. I’ve always wanted to top a top.Your image is so wholesome and boy-next-door. Have you ever gotten into anything kinky, like fisting?Well, I love giving it. I’ve fisted, not on video but in real life. I have fisted about three guys. It’s hot. One time I went to this little private party in New York, and I had fisted this friend of mine before. And there was this younger guy—really hot, great face, nice body, cute—and my hand went in and then I was doing double-fisting action. I hit his bladder and he peed all over himself! I thought it was really hot.Anything else?Well, I used to go to sex clubs. I loved to go to sex clubs and have anonymous sex. I’m a big voyeur. Sometimes, I like watching sex more than I like doing it. I love to watch, then get involved. People don’t always pay attention to me until they see my dick. Once they see my dick, they’re all over me.When you meet a guy, is dick size important to you?I’m not a size queen. As long as it works. I’m a face guy. I like gorgeous, handsome men. He doesn’t have to have a muscular body. It can be toned, proportioned. I’m attracted to someone for their face and personality.Do you ever watch your own movies?Once. After I get the movie, I’ll watch it once to see what it’s like. But I would never jerk off to myself. That’s gross (laughs).What do you see for the future?I want to take this as far as I can take it. I want to have a prolonged career. I just want to see how long I can do it. And that means not being overexposed. Ever get any strange requests from your fans?I sold a pair of socks to somebody in Sweden once (laughs). I wore them for the whole day and to the gym, so they were nice and smelly and I put them in a bag and sent them to Sweden.How much did he pay?I think it was $30, including postage! It was fun.Just how big is your dick?Oh, it’s 9 x 8. Nine inches long, and eight inches around. For real. I have measured it. I’m known for my thickness more than my length.Your fans know a lot about you. What don’t they know?That I’m very insecure sometimes and don’t always consider myself attractive. But I’m trying to change that.What would you like your fans to know about you?That I’m a really down-to-earth person, and if they ever see me on the street, come up and say hello because I’m not a very stuck-up person. I’m very shy, but if they want to say hello, I’m very friendly. I don’t consider myself a major porn star or anything!

July 21, 1999

It is July 21, 1999—a steamy summer in New York City, and musclebound screen stud Billy Herrington is appropriately dressed. He saunters into a West Village restaurant dressed in a skintight, white ribbed T-shirt, denim short-shorts and work boots. Looking younger than his 30 years, he sports a scruffy goatee and an earing in his left ear. Herrington is still beaming from a sold-out dancing appearance at a Manhattan nightspot a few days earlier. He settles in, orders a turkey burger and begins tracing the path that led him to become Colt’s Man of the Year and porn’s hottest new kid on the block.

Let’s start at the beginning. Where are you from?I’m from Long Island, but I moved to New York when I was 24 years old.Tell us about your family background.I have one sister, who lives in Saudi Arabia. My family is very cool, very loose.What was your childhood like out on Long Island?Like anybody’s childhood out on Long Island—very closeted, very suburban. I came to the city with my family a few times—Radio City Music Hall, that kind of thing—but I remember being very intimidated by the city, especially when I first moved here. I was a very small fish in a very big sea. That was the first thing that struck me about New York City—that I really had to push and hustle just to be somebody.What did you want to be when you were growing up?Certainly not a Colt model or a porn star (laughs). That’s for sure. Honestly, I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. I have a lot of interests. My modeling career was basically a hobby, but it started to generate a lot of income. Growing up I had a lot of interests, ranging from computer programming to international business. Were you always athletic?I was into karate for my whole life. My father was a sensei, which is a karate teacher. He taught a very traditional form of martial arts. He learned in Okinawa, went to Vietnam and brought it back and opened a karate school. I was always very skinny and slender, sort of a tough guy. I was my height now, which is six feet, but I weighed about 175, which is average. But right now I weigh 240, which is a big difference.How did you first experience sex?How every other American male did—I dated a few girls, fooled around in the backseat of the school bus and got my education that way, through dirty magazines and stuff.How old were you?About 14 or 15.What was your initial exposure to porn? Did you see magazines and movies?Sure. Of course I did.What did you think?I thought they were absolutely fantastic. There you are, a 15-year-old kid, and your testosterone level and hormones are going off the wall.Did you ever think, “This is something I could do”?Absolutely not. At 15, I had no concept or idea of who I was or where I was going or what I would do. What was your sexual orientation at that time? When watching porn as a kid, were you attracted to the men or the women?I think I was aware of my heterosexuality before I was aware of my bisexuality, only because it was more acceptable in my surroundings growing up. You see, I’m not entirely gay and I’m not entirely straight. I consider myself to be truly bisexual. I have a girlfriend at the moment and I have a boyfriend. They both live with me in my house, and they get along fantastically.How does that work?It just does. Why ask why? My boyfriend’s entirely gay; my girlfriend’s entirely straight. They both have something in common. Well, two things: a) They’re best friends, and, b) me. So, it works. There is no room for jealousy or possessiveness.Do you three ever get together?We do, but they’re both focusing on me and I have to keep everyone happy. It’s doubly damned or doubly blessed (laughs).So how did you get involved in the porn industry? I went to Jones Beach with a friend of mine and we took some photos. She sent them to Playgirl magazine, unbeknownst to me, and I won a contest called Real Men of the Month. I had just started bodybuilding. I was 24 at the time, just before I moved to New York City. And I got a check for $500, which was pretty exciting to me.Were those pictures nudes?Absolutely nude. And she forged my name for the model release. I guess it was a good boost for my self-esteem. I won that contest, and then Jim French from Colt saw those photos and got in touch with a friend of mine, but we never hooked up. Then about two years later, a friend of mine introduced me to Jim French and we did a calendar. Then from that, we did another and I ended up doing all the calendars for 1999.When was that?The tail end of ’98. All this is extremely new. After high school, I really had no focus. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, so the turn of events with the photos was interesting. It was all really gradual. I did The Ricki Lake Show. I was on The Dating Game, which I won! The audience reaction to me was very welcoming. Winning the Playgirl contest, meeting Jim French and getting the results I got were all great for my self-esteem.What kind of response did you get after appearing in Playgirl?I got a pretty good response, believe it or not. It wasn’t like producers were knocking down my door, but a lot of my friends had seen it.What did your family think? Did they freak out?Absolutely not. I have a very cool family who almost have a European philosophy. Now, I don’t run home with every porno magazine and video and go, “Look, Mom!” They know what I do and that’s fine. They don’t need to know the gory details. They know about your movies?Yeah, absolutely, but I don’t think they’re aware of just how famous I am. But that’s fine with me. I don’t think there’s any need for it. They know enough.How did you feel about doing those first pictures for Colt?Very proud. I felt that being a Colt model and being photographed by Jim French was a great honor. Let’s talk about working with Jim French. What is he like?Fantastic. He is just simply the best. That’s all I can say. How does a magician pull off a trick? I have no idea. I asked him once how he got to be so good and he told me he made every single mistake possible. Why do you think you were so popular with Jim French?The reason Jim French used me so much was because he felt that I had a chameleon-like ability to change—I can shave and be Johnny USA Muscleboy, and then I can also grow in some facial hair and be hairy and be in his hairy-chest calendar. So it worked for me to have that flexibility, as opposed to just being typecast as a muscleboy or leather guy. Who was the first director you worked with in film?Well, Jim French directed me in The Big One, which was a Colt J/O video. After that, I did work for Ron Sexton and a company called Can-Am under the name Billy Marcus. They were wrestling videos. Then came Chi Chi LaRue. After I became Colt Man of the Year, she pursued me. I guess she realized the marketing potential and knew I could sell a lot of movies. She was the first one to direct me in a full scene.It’s kind of unusual for a Colt model to do a gay film, isn’t it?Yes, because most of the Colt models are straight, and also Jim French tends to be very possessive of his models. I think a good example is Jake Tanner, who was a great Colt model but as soon as he did videos, Jim French refused to do anything with him after that. Personally, I reached the pinnacle with Colt. I was Colt Man of the Year. Where am I gonna go from there? I could keep on working for Jim French and do a layout every couple of months. But I feel it was in my best interests to make a lateral move. Now, I do videos and I receive residuals. I can ask for a certain fee and receive it.What was it like doing those first J/O scenes? Were you nervous?Absolutely not. I felt very comfortable. Ron Sexton is the consummate professional.What was your first scene with another guy?That was with David Pierre in Billy Herrington’s Body Shop for All Worlds.Now, had you had sex with guys off camera before?Yes, about three years earlier.How was doing that first scene different from the wrestling videos?Well, it was more nerve-racking. It was my first full scene on video, and we performed it on the very first day of shooting. I guess Chi Chi wanted to know whether I had it in me, and apparently I did.Is there a certain style of directing that you are most comfortable with? For example, how does Chi Chi’s style compare to other directors?She’s more vocal—to put it nicely. Chi Chi is good at getting the results she desires.Do you have a specific physical type that you’re attracted to?Well, I honestly believe that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes and forms. That’s probably one of the reasons why I’m bisexual. For somebody to say, “I only like dark men”—come on, if Brad Pitt walked in here right now, and if someone’s not attracted to him, come on. Gimme a break. For me, I’m very open-minded. I try not to typecast people. There are certain things I find attractive, and most of those things have nothing to do with physical beauty. Like what?Well, intellect for one. I love to sit in front of somebody who has something to say. Confidence is another. I also love people who are in control. I like when people have established themselves, have a focus and a goal. What was your next film? Tales From the Foxhole?Yes, that starred Lane Fuller and was directed by Dirk Yates for All Worlds. I played a drill instructor. It’s a very hot movie. My cum shot is probably one of the hottest cum shots you’ll ever see. It’s incredible. It even left Chi Chi speechless, which is rare (laughs). I guess it could be attributed to the first time I ever tried Viagra. Is Viagra prevalent in the industry these days? Does everyone use it now?I believe so. I think it’s wonderful. It’s a wonderful way to improve your performance.Is it true that you are getting your tattoos removed?Absolutely. I got them before I got into bodybuilding. I was a different person. I probably got my tattoos when I was 18. I have four, and they are all gonna go eventually. I don’t want them anymore. We all make mistakes. Where do you want to take your career?Well, I certainly don’t want to be an old, burned-out porn star. What I plan on doing is making a few movies, making a few fans and then making a lateral move into some other business career. Maybe I want to get behind the camera someday.Let’s talk about your dance tour. You are performing in clubs around the country, right?Yes. My booking agent is David Forest. He is absolutely fantastic at what he does. I’ve gone all over the country, and it’s really weird because I guess because of Colt, I draw an older crowd and because of the films, I draw newer people. I get such a different crowd that greets me at every club. How do your fans respond to you in person?They’re great. I like to get onstage and have a good time while I’m out there. I feel very free. I let the DJs set the tone. They choose the music and I go with it. I’m very spontaneous and feed off the crowd’s reaction. I like for the audience to be involved. I like to strip down to as little as I possibly can according to the zoning laws of the state I’m in. I like to pull people up onstage with me.How would you define your image?Hunky top guy, kinda cocky and aggressive. Would you ever bottom?Never—in real life or the movies.What would you say are the pitfalls of the porn industry?Drugs, AIDS, STDs. But one of the things I find very disturbing is the back-stabbing that goes on, the little nitpicking. I think we should all come together and realize that we’d be stronger as a whole, as opposed to being so aggressively against each other. I see the competition. I’m one of the biggest names in the industry right now, but I think it has to do with the fact that I’m one of the most liked. I’m friends with everybody. I don’t play that industry bullshit. If there is something on my mind, I’ll let you know. Who would you like to work with?I’d like to put together a mega-mega movie with me and some of the top stars in the industry. Like me and Jeff Stryker, or me and Ryan Idol or all three of us together. A movie that would blow the shit out of everybody’s minds.And who would direct it?It goes without saying—probably Chi Chi.Are you under contract to any particular studio?I am under contract to nobody. My only loyalty is to myself. I feel that a lot of people give loyalty to companies and lose themselves. I think you have to be loyal to yourself. That’s what makes you a star and that’s what attracts people to you. What’s the biggest difference between having sex on-screen and off-screen?Emotion.Which is better?Emotion.Ever watch your own movies?No. I already know what I look like (laughs). How does it feel to know guys are at home watching you and jerking off?I believe that is the ultimate compliment. It does strike a narcissistic chord in me and helps my self-esteem. It’s one thing for somebody to say you are beautiful, but it’s another for somebody to jerk off and bring themselves to an orgasm. That’s the proof in the pudding, so to speak. It’s great that I can fulfill someone’s fantasy. Why not? Why the hell not? I had no plans on being a priest anyway (laughs). I see no sin in it.

About Vincent Lambert

Vincent Lambert is a New York–based journalist, blogger and photographer who has covered the adult-entertainment industry since 1996. He has written for numerous publications, including Adult Video News, GAYVN, XBIZ, Adam Gay Film & Video Directory, Unzipped, Freshmen, Men, Latin Inches, Black Inches, All-Man, Manshots, Inside Porn and HX. Lambert has interviewed some of gay porn’s brightest stars—such as Jeff Stryker, Ryan Idol and Zeb Atlas—and reported on a variety of events, including Will Clark’s Bad Boys Pool Party and the Gay Erotic Expo. He also served as a judge for the GAYVN Awards for 12 years. In 2006, Lambert stepped behind the camera to write and direct his first scene, titled “Sex Party for Two,” for Lucas Entertainment’s “Encounters 2: The Point of No Return.” In 2007, he created his popular site VincentLambert.com, which features news, gossip and information. His short stories appear in three books from German publisher Bruno Gmünder. E-mail him at VincentLambertNYC@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @VinceLambertNYC.